Condenser for exhaust-steam



t 8 6 h S .W 8 e h S 2 T R A H E N TIL R L B u d 0 CONDENSER FOR EXHAUSTSTEAM.

No. 405,849. Patented June 25, 1889.

INVENTEH I N PETERS. Plwro-umn m har, WnhmglDlL IL (L (Mode/1.) 2Sheets--Sheet 2.

B. L. RINEHART.

CONDENSER FOR EXHAUST STEAM.

No. 405,849. Patented June 25, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENTLEY L. RINEHART, OF CAMDEN, NE\V JERSEY.

CONDENSER FOREXHAUST-STEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,849, dated June 25,1889.

Application filed January 16, 1889. Serial No. 296,548. (Model) To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENTLEY L. RINEHART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condensers forExhaust-Steam; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to apparatus for condensing the exhaust-steamof steam-engines, and has for its object to increase the efficiency andsimplify the construction of such apparatus.

My invention consists in the provision of a pair of drum-casings havingeach 011 their insides two coils of thin metal, between the convolutionsof which are secured alternating longitudinal and transverse partitions,the longitudinal partitions forming passages for the steam, which is ledinto said passages at the center of the coils, and the transversepartitions forming passages for cold air blown through said transversepassages by a rotary fan,this fan being arranged within a suitablecasing secured in place between the drumcasings and receiving its motionfrom the engine or other source of power, the steamsupply to both drumsbeing through a single pipe, as is also the outletpipe for the water ofcondensation, the above construction also having the usual safety-valvestherein.

My invention further consists in the peculiar construction andcombinations of parts, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of sectionsof the strips of metal which form the coils. Fig. 2 is an end view ofone of the drums with its contained coil, the steam-inlet being insection. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the completeapparatus, and Fig. 4D is an elevation of the same.

A A represent the upper and lower coils contained within the casings B Band composed of two long strips a a of sheet metal, preferably brass,one of which strips to has soldered or otherwise secured to it beforecoiling the short sections a of wire, which are placed transverselythereon and a short dis tance apart, while the other strip a is leftbare. These two strips a a are then coiled around each other. The barestrip a, being the inner one, has soldered to its outer surface, whilein process of coiling, the long sections of wire a there being onesection on each edge and a third section in the middle. As the coilingof the strip a progresses, the strip a follows said strip a, and itsinner surface, being opposite to that on which are secured thetransverse sections a is soldered to the long sections a. \Vhen thisoperation is completed, the result is the production of a double coil ofsheet metal with two long and coiled steam-passages a, and a great manyshort cold-air flues a in transverse relation with said passages and oneach side of the same between, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings.

The inner ends of the strips a a are secured in a slit or opening a inthe inlet-pipe C, which slit is of substantially the same extent as thewidth of said strips, and is wide enough to embrace the two strips andpermit of the free entrance of steam into the steampassages (0 The outerend of strip a is left bare for a short distance where the same joinsthe casing B, and is bent inwardly at a and soldered to the outersurface of strip a, closing up the end of the steam-passage andcompelling the exit of the water of condensation through the outlet-pipeD. Pipe C is provided with a steam-valve c and vacuumvalve 0 as measuresof security against accident, which valves are placed as shown, one ateach end of said pipe C.

E is the fan for blowing the cold air through the flues a, and consistsof blades 6, which are flat and similar to a paddle-wheel blade. Theseblades are sustained 011 arms 6, which arms are formed with collars efor encircling the shaft F, and are suitably secured thereon. Blades 6rest in offsets c in the outer ends of arms e, and are secured to saidarms by screws 6. I have shown the fan as consisting of five blades; butof course any number of blades may be employed; also, any other form offan may be employed Without in any Wise deviating from the principle ofmy invention. Shaft F is journaled in the hollow bosses h at the pointof union of the spiderlegs II, which legs are secured to the fan-oasingG by the screws g. Fan-casing G, as

shown in Fig. 3, is shaped in cross-section like an' ellipse with itsextremities cut off or flattened. The ends of this casing are circularin form to correspond with the shape of the casings B B, and the casingsB, B, and G may be formed of one piece, as shown in the drawings; orcasing G may be formed with its outer circular ends of slightly-largerdiameter than that of casings B B, in order to encircle the same andsecure the casings in their relative positions.

On one end of shaft F is secured a pulleywheel I, which receives motionfrom the engine or other motor through the belt L and transmits motionto the fan E. For the purpose of admitting a large quantity of air tothe fan, there are formed in two sides of the fan-casing G, andconcentric with the shaft F, two large openings G.

As shown in the drawings, the casingsB B, with their contained coils,are placed in such relation with casing G that the ends of the cold-airflues a will be exposed to the interior of said fan-casing, and the airfrom fan E will have free and unimpeded passage through said flues.

K represents the exhaust-pipe leading from the engine and terminates inforked arms 10, which follow the contour of the casings and connect withthe outer ends 0 of the inletpipes C, so that the exhaust pipe branchesand the coils A A form practically one long exhaust-pipe. The outlet orwater pipe D also follows the contour of the casings, a branch pipe dleading from the lower coil A into pipe D, and the water of condensationfrom both coils passes through a single pipe directly to a suitablepump.

The entire apparatus is supported at some distance from the floor onlegs L, secured to the lower casing 13 by screws Z, said legs beingfastened to said floor by bolts Z. This is done so as to permit of theescape of air from the lower cold-air flues.

The peculiar shape of the fan-casing G permits of a very great swing ofthe fan-blades, and the shape of said blades, which follow the contourof said casing, and the large openings in the side of said casing permitof a greater quantity of air being drawn into the fan and forced throughthe air-Hues than would be possible were the blades square on theiredges and the opening small.

I have shown and described the steam and air passages as formed by thesections of wire, which is the preferred form in small condensers yet,where the same are to be of large size, for use in connection withengines of great power, the heads of the steam-passages and thepartitions therein and in the air-fines will be formed of strips ofmetal, as it would be impracticable to use bars of metal of sufficientsize therefor.

With the above construction there is an unimpeded current of air throughthe flues circulating through the long and. fiat passages, affording avery large steam-surface to the cold air, is quickly converted intowater. Each one of the many air-flues receives its supply direct fromthefan-blades, thus.d1s-

pensing with an air-chamber, as heretofore.

provided where a blower is employed. Neither is a water-tank necessary,as the water is taken direct from the water-pipe by the pump.

I am aware that it is not new to use cold air forced throughair-passages for the purpose of cooling steam. Therefore I do not claimthis feature, broadly.

While I have shown and described the use of two coils with a single fan,it might be found desirable to have only one coil, or, still further, itmight be desirable to use more than two coils with a single fan. Forinstance, there might be one coil on each side of the fan-casing inaddition to those at the top and bottom of said casing. The casings forthese additional coils in that case would be secured in the same manneras those, shown in the drawings.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a steam-condenser, thecombination of one or more coiled steam-passages connected with asteam-supply pipe, provided with a water-outlet and encircled bytransverse cold-air fiues receiving air from a suitable fan, as and forthe purpose set forth. 7 2. In a steam-condenser, the combinatlon of twostrips of sheet metal in concentric coils and secured at their innerends to a,

steam-supply pipe, having in the alternate spaces between theirconvolutions transverse and longitudinal partitions forming cold-airflues and steam-passages, thev latter being provided with a water-outletwith a suitable fan, as and for the purpose set forth.

' 3. In a steam-condenser, the combination of'two or more steam-coilsencircled by transverse cold-air flues and provided with steaminlets andwater-outlets, the casings of said coils being secured to the casing ofa single rotary fan, said fan supplying cold air .to the flues ofall'the coils, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a steam-condenser, the combination of coils A A, composed ofstrips (1, a, and having the longitudinal and transverse steam and airspaces a and a formed by the wire sections a and a all contained withinthe casings B B, said steam-spaces being connected with steam-supplypipe G, valves 0 and c and provided with water-outlet D, as set forth.

5. In a steam-condenser, the combination, with coils A A, composed ofstrips a a, having longitudinal and transverse steam and air spaces a 9formed by wire sections a a said steam-spaces being provided withsteaminlet pipe 0, valves 0 c and water-outlet D, of a fan G supportedon a shaft F, and having the arms 6 on collars e encircling said shaft,said arms having offsets e in which rest IIO the blades 6, and screws 6for securing said In testimony that I claim the foregoing I bladesthereto,.-sha ft F being journaled in have hereunto set my hand this14th day of bosses h on spider-legs H, secured to casing J anuary, A. D.1889.

G by screws g, and provided With pulley I,

5 receiving motion through belt 1', fan-casing BENTLEY L. RINEHART. G,having openings G, coils A and A being connected to arms is of theexhaustrpipe K, WVitne/sses:

and casing A being provided with legs L, se- WVILL H. POWELL,

cured thereto by screws Z, as and for the pur- R. DALE SPARHAWK.

1o pose set forth.

c o 1;: o q: S... L 0 C3 in Letters Patent N0 405,849.

i l l i It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 0. 405,849,granted June 25,1889, upon the application of Bentley L. Rinehart ofCamden, New Jersey, for an improvement in Condensers for Exhaust-Steam,an error appears in the printed specification requiring the followingcorrection, viz: In line 107, page 2, a comma and that the said LettersPatent should be read with this correction therein that the same mayconform to the should be inserted after the compound Word Watenoutletrecord of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 16th day of J uly, A. D. 1889.

CYRUS BUSSEY,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[SEAL] Oountersigned O. E. MITCHELL,

Commissioner of Patents.

